


College is for Suckers (i.e. I Didn't Pay This Much To Hate Myself)

by Vanvanvan



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha Katsuki Yuuri, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Cecaelias, College, Fluff and Humor, Human Victor Nikiforov, Humor, Light Angst, No Tentacle Sex, Omega Victor Nikiforov, cecaelia Katsuki Yuuri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-06-06 11:44:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15194072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanvanvan/pseuds/Vanvanvan
Summary: Yuuri's never been a quitter. Even with finals week rolling around for the millionth time, none of the other five cecaelia's that attend the university will look at him, and everyone else only wants to date him because of something to do with tentacle sex? But Yuuri will, absolutely, for sure, be the first cecaelia to get his masters. Then his, oh god why, PHD. But by the depth of the ocean he'll do it! Also human dating culture is gross wtf, all Yuuri wants is a life-mate.Victor never thought his best friend would make him watch tentacle porn. He's not too mad about it, but he has to at least pretend to be. And GOD is that guy named Yuuri in his class beautiful. Victor could gush about him forever. There's just one problem, Yuuri's a cecaelia, and Victor's not sure how his family would react to that at any Christmas dinners. Especially when they all assume he's marrying his childhood best friend, Katrina, because she's an alpha and they looked cute together as babies.i.e. the college au where Yuuri's an alpha cecaelia, Victor is a human omega, Chris just wants Victor to get a life... and a boyfriend, and Phichit is everyone's best friend.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone, this is my first fic here on ao3. This first chapter is super short and just a prologue, mostly to see if people want like the idea and to introduce the world. I'm starting college up again in the fall and I'm so excited so I'm making a college au.
> 
> Also I love love love Cecaelia Yuuri. Therefore this fic was born.  
> Let me know what you think!

Yuuri had been a small child. His mother had kept him latched to her an extra year before letting him swim off by himself. He was seven years old the first time he saw a human. They only had two legs, instead of twenty four legs. Three rows of eight. Yuuri was very proud of his legs. They were pure black with white speckles at the tips. His mother had always said he was very pretty, and one day would make a very fine life-mate.  
He was proud of his many legs until he turned fourteen when he joined an Interspecies school. The first on the land of Japan to accept cecaelias into the program. Yuuri had always been smart, but school with humans, fae, shifters, and demonfolk was nothing like he’d expected. Apparently the program was opened to merpeople over a decade before cecaelias, but it never surprised Yuuri that the stingy, species-ist, clan centered, merpeople would decline an offer to integrate with others. The thing is, no one expected any cecaelias to join the program. As a solitary people, Yuuri had been on his own since he was eight. It wasn’t in his culture to interact with others. But Yuuri, and apparently other cecaelia, loved to learn.  
So every fall through spring season Yuuri would swim to land and make his way up the beach over to the front doors of the school building that accepted him. And every summer he’d swim back down into the depths of the sea.  
Yuuri learned very fast others didn’t think of him as pretty like his mother once had. He worked very hard not to ever be ashamed of his many legs. But when everyone would called his legs ‘tentacles,’ it was hard not to cry. Yuuri was once crying in the alphas’ bathroom with all his legs curled in around him on the floor and a human named Yuko came in to wash her hands. She was his first real friend.  
They’d talked for a long time on the floor. “They call my legs ‘tentacles!’” Yuuri had cried. “Imagine everyone going around calling your legs ‘dicks.’”  
Some culture things were too ingrained in Yuuri to shake. He was immediately pegged as shy because he never introduced himself first, or dated anybody (don’t get him started on human dating culture,) but he coming from a solitary culture, if you pursued someone—you’re looking to mate or murder.  
Yuuri wanted to do neither of those things. So he simply didn’t talk to anyone unless they talked to him first. It was alienating most the time—how little anyone knew about him. They’d stare at him in wonder or fear, (when he first started attending anyway.)  
But enough of all his reminiscing. At eighteen, he stood in front of the Italian Interspecies Integrated University’s doorstep. Ready for admission. His outer eight legs holding him up and both his middle and inner legs all squirming and doing summersaults.  
Getting a higher education had always been an exciting idea to Yuuri, and here he was. On the upside and not the oh-so-anxious side, maybe he’d find a life-mate here. After all he’d heard there was at least six other cecaelia on campus. Not a huge courting pool of his own species, but with all the talk recent of interspecies relationships. Even some alphas and omegas of different species were having children!  
Yuuri was truly excited for these upcoming school years.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri has Biology class and goes to lunch with a friend. Oh and meets the most for the love of god beautiful person alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At least this is longer than the prologue lol. Let me know how you like it!

It was the third week into classes, and Yuuri still had sand stuck in between every crevice of his legs. It was normal, since he had one in high school, for him to be offered a wheelchair by the school. Yuuri always took up the wheelchair. His legs weren’t made for walking around on concrete or carpet or tile, and they always hurt if he stood for too long. It also deterred staring. If Yuuri was sitting in a wheelchair with a blanket over his legs, people were less inclined to look.

Yuuri was a math major. He loved the logic of it, and he was fairly good at it too. He hoped that maybe he could be a teacher at an interspecies school. Or maybe start one specifically for oceanfolk, like him. But he’d have to get over his distaste of mers to teach specifically oceanfolk. It’s not like he could exclude one of the largest species.

He was shaken out of his thoughts when Phichit, who sat beside him, taps his shoulder at points to the board. Yuuri had forgotten somewhere along the line to take a second biology class. Not sure how he managed to get so far without that, but here he was taking it so it didn’t matter much.

Yuuri hated biology.

Honestly, He didn’t mind the topic, but somehow he always became a source of information when it came to oceanfolk biology. He’s a deep sea cecaelia. How could anyone expect him to know about freshwater merpeople. It was rude.

The teacher, Professor Morooka was talking about interspecies relationships now. “We’ve learned in recent years that there are dominant species. Now—what _is_ a dominant species? Well, we’ve come to observe from interspecies relationships that when—for example—an elf and a human are together. When a child is produced because humans are the dominant species (remember class we’re only speaking about genetics, this isn’t a sociology class), the child will have more human traits than elven traits. Honestly I don’t have too much to say on this topic, but it’s in the book so I figured I’d cover it a little.” The classed chuckled. “Any questions?”

Jenna raised her hand.

“Go for it, Jen,” Professor Morooka pointed to her with his ruler.

“If Yuuri were to have kids with a human, for example, would they have tentacles or legs?”

Yuuri groaned and raised his hand as Professor Morooka looked thoughtful.

“Yes, Yuuri go ahead.”

“That question makes no sense! Can I _please_ explain why?”

“Of course, class is for learning, please explain,” Professor Morooka said.

“So, here’s the deal, ‘tentacle’ is slang for penis—” the class paused for a second than erupted into laughter, once it died down Yuuri continued, “I have twenty four _legs_. But only one tentacle.”

The class proceeded to die in laughter.

Professor Morooka let them out early.

 

~~

 

“Oh my god, Yuuri!” Phichit caught up to Yuuri in the hall. “I had no idea, I was calling your legs the wrong name! I’m so sorry.”

Phichit looked genuinely apologetic. Yuuri said, “Don’t worry about it. At least, now I can call humans walking dicks and it be funny.”

Phichit nodded looking thoughtful. “Hey, Yuuri do you have an Instagram?”

Yuuri looked up at Phichit walking beside him, “Yeah, but I never use it.”

Phichit grinned, pulled out his phone, snapped a picture— “I’ll tag you, what’s your ‘at’?”

Yuuri told him.

“Awesome! Do you want to sit with me and my friends at lunch?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Cool! I’m so excited. It’s only eleven so Chris and Victor will still be in class—they’re PhD students, so they’re—” Phichit leaned in, “—a bit older, lol! Jk though, I think Chris is only twenty five. Idk how old Victor is.”

Yuuri nodded along as Phichit led him to the cafeteria. They sat at a larger table and Yuuri wondered how many people Phichit was friends with.

“So, I’m friends with quite a lot of freshman, I’m in an elective art class, and I’ve decided that they’re all my children—Yuri! Otabek! Over here,”

Yuuri jumped at his name, but realized Phichit clearly wasn’t speaking to him.

“Yuuri this is Yuri and Otabek. Yuri’s a freshman, and Otabek’s a sophomore.”

“Undergrad?”

The blonde, Yuri, said, “Yea, I think.”

Otabek nodded to Yuri.

Phichit hummed. “Yuri because you’re younger and this is going to get confusing, I now dub thee ‘Yurio’”

“But!”

“YURIO,” a voice sounded.

“Dear god, Phichit look what you’ve done,” Otabek said with a grin.

Yuuri turned to see _the most beautiful man he’s ever seen_. Coming towards them. Oh and Chris, Yuuri knew Chris. He was good looking too, _but oh fucking god this man._

Yuuri was sure he was blushing but thankfully no one was paying him any attention. This must be Victor.

“ _Victor, I will end you_.” Yurio said full of hate.

The ashy platinum blonde laughed, melodically, “Oh, _Yurio_ , I love you too.” Victor’s phone jingled. He stopped messing up Yurio’s hair and grimaced down at his screen.

Chris wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Hey, Vic, is that your girl?”

Victor made a sour expression, Yurio did too, Victor hummed and said, “She’s not my _girl_. Katrina _and_ my mom can both just suck my—”

“Wow, Victor! I don’t think I’ve introduced you to Yuuri yet.” Phichit was grand gesturing to Yuuri.

Victor looked up from his phone. A light dusting of pink spread over his cheeks. He opened his mouth to speak.

_Oh no, Victor was_ not _going to make the first move._

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you.” _Ohmygodohymgodohmygod, Yuuri really just did that._

“It’s nice to meet you too, Yuuri,” Victor held out his hand. Yuuri took Victor’s hand.

Yuuri was having a heart attack. Both his hearts were failing just by looking at this lovely man.

Phichit had a shit eating grin on his face. Chris’s eyebrows were all the way into his hairline. And Yurio and Otabek were on their phones, barely looking up.

Chris cleared his throat after a long enough pause. “Who wants food, I’m starving.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have a beta reader, let me know if there's any ridiculously bad mistakes or just little ones.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yurio lectures Chris on porn, Victor and Yuuri exchange numbers, Victor loves Yuuri,

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know at any point if because of topics the rating needs to go up. I don't think it does this chapter, but I just want to make sure so yea, lemme know. Please enjoy the chapter!

No one else ended up joining them for lunch, but for Yuuri having Phichit, Chris, Yurio, Otabek, and Victor all there was more than enough company. Victor sat next to him, and Yuuri desperately hoped Victor wasn’t offended that he’d spoken up first. It’s just, Yuuri knew human customs were different, but what _if_ Victor knew Yuuri had every intention to court him? Yuuri knew he needed to calm down, he literally just met this man. He was probably just like all the other humans when it came to relationships... but every time Yuuri would say something even remotely clever Victor would smile or laugh. It made him feel special.

Phichit was currently recounting Yuuri’s response to Jenna in class. It was funnier than Yuuri had originally intended. Yuuri had just been honest, but at least it had gotten the point across.

The group laughed at the end of the story.

“Wait,” Chris said, “So does that make tentacle porn fake?” he sounded disappointed.

Yurio made a disgusted noise, “Chris, tentacle porn is gross anyway and not even geared towards people like Yuuri. It’s audience is human alpha men wanting to take advantage of young omegas. Not to mention it’s super demonizing to demonfolk because it’s always ‘evil demons,’”

Otabek applauded.

Victor laughed, “Yurio, as your cousin who happens to be an omega, I love that you’re in Women, Sexuality, and Omega Studies. Is that an 01 class?”

“Um, I think it’s an 02. Since I took that dual credit class in high school I was able to take it,” Yurio said.

Chris wiped a fake tear, “Little baby alpha Yurio.”

“Shut up, Chris,” Yurio barked with no venom in his voice.

Phichit spoke up, “Hey before it gets too cold, we should all go to the ocean one last time. Especially with Yuuri in our group now.”

“I’m in the group now?”

“Duh, Fatso,” Yurio said.

Yuuri wasn’t offended he knew he’d put on a little since the beginning of the year, but Victor looked serious, “Yura, you stop that.”

Yurio just rolled his eyes.

Yuuri took the chance and said, “It’s really okay. I don’t mind, and it’s at least a little true.”

Victor gave him a smile, “Alright, then.”

Phichit looked like he was dying. Yuuri’s heart hammered in his chest. “So, Victor, what’s your PhD in?”

“Linguistics and Literature, I managed to avoid all things math, but my thesis is the literally satanic,” he grinned.

Chris scoffed halfheartedly, “He’s doing his thesis on historical religions and the impact they have on language and literature. ‘literally satanic’ my ass.”

Otabek pulled out his phone. Yurio’s phone pinged a moment later. Yurio grinned at Otabek. Yuuri wondered if they were mates in anyway. They were cute together at any rate.

“That sounds really interesting actually!” Yuuri said, “I’m majoring in math. It’s funny you mention that you avoid it. Maybe...” Yuuri paused gather courage, Victor looked at him expectantly, “Maybe we can exchange numbers and you can tell me more about your thesis then.”

Victor looked like he was going to burst. Yuuri wondered if he said something wrong. Victor gave Chris a triumphant look. “I’d love to tell you more about my thesis,” He pulled out his phone. “Here’s my number—”

Yuuri felt like dancing as he put Victor’s number in his phone. He gave Victor his own number as well.

 

~~

 

Yuuri felt confident as he and Phichit went on their way to their next class together. They only had the two classes together, but they were back to back.

“I hate Trig, it’s the one form of math I really don’t like,” Yuuri mentioned to Phichit.

Phichit stopped walking. “Yuuri, I’ve never in my life seen you talk to someone first.”

“Well, we haven’t known each other long.”

Phichit gasped, but grinned right after so Yuuri knew he wasn’t really offended, “Do you know how long I’ve been trying to be your friend, Yuuri?”

“Um, no?”

“I literally have been saying ‘hi’ to you every class period and you ignore me? I didn’t expect you to respond today.”

“I must be getting lazy,” Yuuri laughed, “No, I didn’t notice.”

Phichit shook his head.

They continued to walk. The halls of campus weren’t crowded so much in the afternoon. Yuuri always liked the lovely campus. The central gathering hall often had live music on Fridays. It was full of fountains and natural lighting. Yuuri’s favorite event that ever happened was the cultural mixing event (Yuuri didn’t know what it was actually called that day, but there were booths and tables people from around the world had set up and were sharing food. Some people were even dancing to music. Yuuri loved it.)

Trig class was uneventful.

Phichit had to run off to another class that started five minutes after Trig ended on the other side of campus. Yuuri pushed his chair out of the classroom and parked beside a bench in the hall. He tapped his phone against the palm of his hand. Was Victor still in class?

_Buzz buzz... Buzz buzz_

Speaking of whom, Victor texted Yuuri just as he made that thought.

**Victor text:** Yuuri! I know this real indie coffee place down by the seaside would you like to go with me sometime?

**Yuuri text:** That sounds fun, I don’t have classes Thursday how about noon?

 

Yuuri tried not to get his hopes up—

 

**Victor text:** Absolutely sounds perfect! Want me to pick you up?

 

Yuuri chewed his lip. His excitement bubbling inside his chest.

 

**Yuuri text:** Yeah, sure here’s my apartment address—

 

~~

 

Victor was reeling. He’d gotten Yuuri’s number _and_ address. They were making strides. Soon they’d be married— _whoa, slow down, Nikiforov_ , logic reasoned, _You just met him,_ but he’s perfect, _you literally don’t know that, also Katrina._

“Oh, fuck Katrina,” people in the library turned to look at him. He really needed to stop talking to himself. Things were getting out of hand. He pretended to type on his phone and exited the library.

Oh the note of Katrina. Victor still needed to text his mother back to say he still hadn’t (and wasn’t going to) proposed to her. He mulled over the circumstances in his head. He’d known Katrina since they were babies. The blonde beauty and him had been best friends throughout their younger years of schooling. But honestly? They weren’t really that close anymore. She was back in Russia going to some private school for wealthy girls that got high grades. He was in Italy at an international integrated school.

Victor remembered tell Katrina what school he planned to go to while in high school. She’d flipped.

_“You want to go to school with a bunch of monsters, Vitya?”_

No, he was going to school with people from all walks of life, and what a horrible thing to say, Katya.

It’s not like either of them had ever been attracted to each other. Victor was very gay. Katrina just found him—well, Victor couldn’t actually speak for her. He had no clue, especially anymore, what she thought of him. The one thing Victor knew is that if Katrina were to call him _Vitya_ at this point in there lives, it wouldn’t be friendly.

And his mother wanted them to get married.

It was safer to say Victor would never get married, but he could hope that Yuuri would be the one. He’d love to be that man’s husband. He had to get to the boyfriend stage first though.

Victor unlocked his apartment and stepped inside the living room. Chris and him were roommates. He heaved a sigh. Mondays were his long days, _and_ he had work later. He wondered were Yuuri worked. What kind of jobs were there in the ocean? Victor had never actually seen any of Yuuri’s legs. They were always covered by his dull blue blanket that looked like it could use a wash.

And just like that _inspiration struck_. Victor knew what to get him for his birthday, or Christmas—did Yuuri celebrate Christmas? Victor didn’t really, but it was his birthday, so he grew up getting at least one present then anyway. When _was_ Yuuri’s birthday? He’d have to ask. Oh dumb-butt, Victor had Yuuri’s number he could ask anytime! Bless god for modern technology.

Makachin came padding out of Victor’s bedroom as he went to send the text. He took a picture of Maka to send to Yuuri for good measure.

 

**Victor text:** Hey I was just curious when your birthday is, mine’s Dec 25. Here’s my dog Makachin  <3 <3 <3

 

~~

 

“PHICHIT HE SENT ME HEARTS AND A DOG!”

Phichit then doubled over laughing. “Oh my god, my children are getting married.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, have a wonderful day. How do yall feel about me doing a chapter dedicated to how I imagine Yuuri as a cecaelia, do you guys care that much? Lol  
> Of course let me know if there's any mistakes with grammar, spelling, punctuation, I have quite a few original works I'm working on and I care about improving my writing. If you see something or have any tips shoot that knowledge out at me XD
> 
> Bless  
> PS. I'm an undergrad student, Yuuri's working on his masters. I have no clue what classes he'd actually be taking I'm sorry to people out there being like "no stop that's incorrect lmao" because I'm not there yet.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Victor's date takes an unexpected turn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And all the angst hit. I wasn't ready. You weren't ready. Victor and Yuuri weren't ready. God wasn't ready. Seriously though I probably should add the angst tag.

It was Thursday at 11:30am and Yuuri still didn’t know what he was going to do. His favorite blue blanket was in the wash (Phichit made him—it really hadn’t been that dirty, but whatever,) he couldn’t find the shirt he was going to wear, and Yuuri was oh so confused. Over the past few days, he and Victor had continued to text and get to know each other. So far he found out that Victor was from Russia, his last name was Nikiforov, and his mother was very involved in his love life. This confused everything he knew about human dating when Victor told Yuuri that his parents had been married for since they were twenty, had seven kids (Victor was third oldest,) and were really passionate about their children getting married. Apparently Victor was the only one of the seven children (aside from the youngest who’s seventeen) who’s not married.

So, maybe Victor _was_ looking for a life-mate? Yuuri sighed as he stared up at the ceiling from the floor, as naked as he usually was in the ocean, and tangled in the blanket from his bed. He wondered at times like these if he shouldn’t have stayed in the ocean. He’d be less of an embarrassment and Victor Handsome Nikiforov wouldn’t be at his apartment in—Yuuri craned his neck to look at his alarm clock—about five minutes. Oh god.

He didn’t have the energy to panic, but it did seem he had energy to cry.

Yuuri knew a human family would never accept a cecaelia son-in-law... would they? The doorbell rung, and he really started to sob. Here Yuuri was not an inch ready for their date, and Victor was outside his apartment that he only was able to maintain through scholarships, high grades, and a contract. He wasn’t even allowed to decorate the walls so Yuuri couldn’t invite Victor into a nice homey space. The doorbell rung again.

_Buzz buzz... buzz buzz..._

Yuuri reached with a leg to knock his phone off the bed. Victor had texted.

 

**Victor text:** You home, lovely? I’m outside

 

The tears came harder. He could hardly see the screen to text back.

 

**Yuuri text:** I’m home

 

The text bubble to indicate someone was texting popped up and disappeared a few times.

 

**Victor text:** Are you alright?

 

Before Yuuri could think about it too much he texted back.

 

**Yuuri text:** No

 

**Victor text:** Do you want company?

 

**Yuuri text:** Yes

 

Yuuri didn’t want him to go away. Victor was always so considerate.

 

**Victor text:** Is the door unlocked? May I come in?

 

Yuuri sent him an affirmative text before pulling the blanket further off the bed onto himself. Victor was going to hate him. Everyone always stared. Everyone thought he was gross for having so many legs. He could remember even times in the ocean where the merpeople would taunt him and make fun of him. And in high school he was the only cecaelia and everyone his age was afraid of him.

Victor knocked on his closed bedroom door. “Can I come in?”

His two hearts decided to race. The panic had set in. He curled into himself ready for the fallout as Victor opened the door without waiting for his permission.

“Yuuri...” Victor’s voice was soft and low. “Hey, Yuuri, sweet man, can I sit here with you?”

He was seeing spots in his vision. He couldn’t breathe.

“Deep breaths, Yuuri,” Victor sat close to him and rubbed his back in small circles, “No worries, love, deep breaths. Breathe deep for me—there you go.”

Yuuri let Victor help him sit up. He let Victor wrap his arms around him. He leaned into Victor, inhaling the way he smelled. The firmness of his arms and torso. The comfort of being held. “I’m sorry.”

“Yuuri, my dear, I don’t want you to apologize, alright? There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

Yuuri hadn’t been held since before he was let go from his mother at six. He tried not to ache too much when Victor pulled away slightly.

Victor kissed his forehead, “My sister, Masha, has always had panic attacks. No one else in the family cared to learn how to help her through it, so I did. I hope I was helpful to you.”

“You were helpful, thank you.”

Victor hummed, “Would you like to still have our date? We can watch a movie and make coffee here?”

Staring up at Victor’s clear blue eyes that gazed at him lovingly—something Yuuri had never even dreamed about—he felt the need to ignore that Victor had called their plans a date. Yuuri wasn’t even sure he knew the whole purpose of ‘dating’ anymore, but even if Victor did only want Yuuri for a short time—that’s what Yuuri would give.

“Yes, a movie sounds great.”

 

~~

 

Victor heaved a content sigh as he lay on Yuuri’s floor with said beautiful man. They hadn’t moved since suggesting a movie, but instead the both of them laid down on the ground together. Victor had one leg over Yuuri’s hip with one of Yuuri’s wrapped around it, and his other leg somewhere in the tangle of blanket and Yuuri’s legs. They faced each other and just talked.

“Aug, I need to put a shirt on, don’t I.”

Victor laughed and blew a raspberry on Yuuri’s chest making him cry out in shock. “I don’t think so. Here I’ll take mine off so we’re even.” Victor sat up—his leg still around Yuuri’s hip—and took his shirt off in a swift motion before laying back down, now chest to chest, with Yuuri.

Victor watched as Yuuri’s face grew redder down to his neck. He placed a kiss on Yuuri’s collarbone. “You okay, my prince?”

“Is this dating?”

Victor started to smile, but Yuuri wasn’t smiling. “Do you want it to be? Do you want to be boyfriends?”

The redness in Yuuri’s face seemed to be from lack of oxygen now more than a blush. Tears started pouring out. “I’m sorry!” Victor pulled back, heart heavy, as Yuuri dug the heels of his hands into his eyes.

“Yuuri tell me one thing,” Victor couldn’t help the disappointment in his voice, “Am I wasting my time?” He started to untangle himself from Yuuri.

“What do you mean?” Yuuri sounded exasperated.

Victor sat crisscross in front of Yuuri. “What does what mean, Yuuri?” He couldn’t help beginning to feel a bit frustrated. “I’d like to be your boyfriend. But if you’re not into me, I don’t really feel like being led on. If you haven’t noticed, I’m twenty seven. I know I’ve talked about being annoyed with my family being pushy about me getting married—but honestly I’d love to get married—”

“I don’t even understand,” Yuuri’s voice was hurt and shaky. “I don’t understand any of it.”

Victor felt himself unable to speak. He didn’t want to feel his blood boil but it was. He was mad. He couldn’t help that he liked Yuuri and here was Yuuri saying—after leading him on—that those feelings weren’t returned.

“I think I should go, Yuuri,” _before I start crying too._ He stood.

“Please don’t go,” now Victor felt bad since Yuuri was crying. He wanted to wrap the man up in his arms and cuddle him again. But he knew that shouldn’t happen now.

“I don’t know what else you want me to say—do! What else can I do, Yuuri?”

Yuuri was caving in on himself. Victor hadn’t realized he’d raised his voice. He plopped back down on the ground. Yuuri had his arms wrapped around his face and had his legs all pulled up to his face as well.

“You don’t want me to leave?” Victor deadpanned.

One of Yuuri’s legs wrapped around Victor’s ankle and tugged him toward him. Victor sighed. His heart hurt, but Yuuri clearly needed someone. And _god_ did Victor want to do anything and everything for him.

“Yuuri, please talk to me.”

Yuuri looked up at him. Even a wreck from tears and red faced, Yuuri was beautiful. “I just thought...” Yuuri started, “I just thought maybe this time it’d be different.”

“What does that mean, Yuuri?”

Yuuri didn’t meet his gaze, “That maybe someone would finally want me. Not just for a little while.”

Victor felt his heart break. “Yuuri,” he said before trying to calm his tone down, “I literally have been talking to you about marriage, my family, and being with you, and you don’t get that I want you?”

Yuuri seemed to stop breathing. Victor reached out and brushed his face with his fingertips. Yuuri leaned into the touch. “Yuuri, love, we just met. I can’t promise you we’ll end up being right together, but I’m willing to try. If you are.”

Yuuri held Victor’s hand to his face and was quiet a long time. He mumbled something and looked up at Victor.

“I didn’t hear you, Yuuri.” Victor scooted closer to him.

“Cecaelia’s mate for life.”

Victor started to respond.

“Victor, if you can’t promise me this will last—I’m don’t want to let my heart get ripped out again.”

...

“Again?”

Yuuri looked away, “My first year in college there was this human guy... he promised we’d get married, and raise kids, and all that. But we ended up breaking up ‘this isn’t working,’ he said. It’s what all humans say when they want to get out of something.”

Victor felt himself shed a tear, “Do you really think that’s every human? Do you really think we’re all just flaky, inconsistent people who aren’t dedicated to anything?”

Yuuri stayed quiet.

“My parents have been married thirty three years and still love each other. Sure some people get divorces, but it’s not impossible to make it. Another example: I am an example of a flaky human—I’ll give you that—but I’m almost through working on my PhD.”

Yuuri stayed quiet.

“I can’t believe this.” Victor said, hurt, shaking his head.

“Victor?”

“Yea.”

He sniffled. “I just wanna fix it. I want to love you.”

Victor couldn’t bite back his scoff. “But you don’t?”

Yuuri opened his mouth to say more, but Victor stood. “I’m going to go,” he managed to say as left. He wasn’t even out of the apartment before he started sobbing.

All his daydreams of weddings and rings and a future family were for nothing. Of course they were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if it's actually as angsty and sad as I think it is but I'm working on the next chapter already because I c a n n o t handle this lmao.  
> I hope everyone enjoyed despite the change in slight change in tone.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris talks to Victor. Phichit talks to Yuuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy, Sorry it's kinda short.

Phichit caught onto the fact that Victor and Yuuri weren’t talking real fast. His shipper heart couldn’t take it. Chris insisted that they’d work it out but after two weeks Phichit could see Chris even getting worried. Phichit and Yuuri had taken to hanging out at each other’s places and he’d done a relatively good job of not prying at the situation for Yuuri’s benefit, but Yuuri and Victor weren’t going to be husband goals if they kept not talking to each other. Someone had to intervene.

“Chris, _please_ , talk to Victor and figure out his side of the story!” Phichit said. “It’s actually making me die watching them dance around each other.”

Chris hummed and put a finger to his lips in thought, “I _will_ talk to him. They are excruciating to watch. I know! We’ll intervene and get them together!”

Phichit rolled his eyes, “Chris, I literally suggested that five minutes ago.”

 

~~

 

Chris came home to the entire apartment _spotless_. Victor had cleaned. Victor only cleaned when mold was beginning to grow—or he was stressed. He could hear muffled crying in coming from Victor’s bedroom. Chris made Victor recount the story of Yuuri and Victor’s date the moment he’d come home to a sobbing Victor—with a half downed bottle of whiskey mind you—two weeks ago.

“Hey, Vic, come out to the sitting room! I’m making tea,” Chris said putting the kettle on the stove. With some friends Chris might vote for wine on a heartbreaking occasion. Victor was not that friend. Victor would drink four bottles of wine when sad if someone allowed him access to it—no, not wine today.

Chris could hear Victor shuffling around in his room before the door opened and Victor appeared with his stuffed rainbow horse he called ‘giraffe.’ Chris bought him that as a joke. He heaved a sigh for his friend. Chris knew Victor literally slept with the plushy every night, but this was the first time Victor seemed not to care if Chris saw him with it.

“Chris, I don’t get it,” Victor’s voice was slightly raspy from crying.

“What don’t you get, my friend?”

“He said cecaelias mate for life, right? But I literally could not have stressed I wanted to get married more to him. How can he go and say that, but then not want to be boyfriends so that we can actually work towards that goal of getting married. I mean, sure, it doesn’t always last, but I’m willing to try.”

Chris mouth gaped, everything made more sense, “He _told_ you cecaelias mate for life,”

“Yea,” Victor said exasperatedly.

“Victor, you’re an idiot,” Chris said attempting to start soft, “If Yuuri said that he mates for life, you realize what that means right?”

“That he wants to get married? But he doesn’t—”

“Vic, remember that werewolf guy, Dillian, I turned down two years ago?”

“Not really,”

“Werewolves mate for life too. Dillian explained it in a way to me which made me rethink where I was at at the time. I’m going to explain it to you—no, sit down.”

Victor sat. His face contorted into frustration. Chris handed him tea.

“I’m going to explain it in terms of Yuuri so it gets in your thick skull cause you need that right now,” Chris gave Victor a pointed look, “When Yuuri says he mates for life that means that there’s a chemical process that happens for him when he starts to like someone. It’s called life-bonding, I think. What he’s looking for is a life-mate. It’s more intense for him than marriage and contrary to popular belief it’s not about sex either. Whenever someone who mates for life is attracted to someone the chemical process to life-bonding already starts. Which means if he’s interested in you that chemical process is already happening for him—and he knows it.”

“Then why—”

“Because when you say stuff to him like, ‘it’s okay if this doesn’t work out, shrug, or whatever,’ that probably scares him. Chemical bonds are hard to break. Even if he stops liking you, depending on the strength of bond that was formed to you is _still going to be there_.”

Victor got quiet and looked down at the palms of his hands.

Chris sighed and stood from his spot on loveseat. “Vic, you should talk to him. Apologize or something. I turned down Dillian two years ago because I wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment; you are. Do what’s best for you—I think you really like him. I know Yuuri still likes you—”

“How can you know that, Chris? I was literally the worst to him. If he does that bond thing and life mates and stuff, then—he probably hates me.”

“Talk to him. Trust me.”

 

~~

 

“ _I just like him so much, Phichit._ ”

Phichit rubbed his friend’s back and sighed at the tears soaking his shirt from his friend. “I know, buddy.”

“ _He_ hates _me_.”

“Oh, baby boy, I highly doubt that.”

Phichit’s phone pinged. He handed Yuuri another tissue and checked his phone.

 

**Chris text:** Victor says he’ll talk to him. Thank da lort

 

**Phichit text:** Tell him to text Yuuri something sweet or something my baby is so sad

 

**Chris text:** On it. ‘your baby’?

 

**Phichit text:** Yes! Now hurry

 

Yuuri’s phone buzzed on the coffee table a few minutes later.

“Yuuri, why don’t you get that? It might take you mind off things to respond to someone,” Phichit tried.

Yuuri shook but he sat up from Phichit’s shoulder and picket up the phone. The moment Yuuri looked at it he dropped it into his lap and closed his eyes.

“Phi, he texted me,” his voice was hurt.

“Oh? What did he say?”

Yuuri took a second glance at the phone. The message was pretty long. Yuuri didn’t read it to Phichit but he watched Yuuri heave a sigh. “Phichit, he wants to talk. Said I can come over to his and Chris’s place.”

“Are you going to?”

Yuuri shuffled a little. “Yea. I want to be on good terms with him.”

“Sounds like a plan. And I’m getting you another blanket for your legs btw.”

Yuuri jutted out his bottom lip. “I liked that blanket.”

Phichit held up his hands, “Sure is a bummer it got shredded in the wash.”

“Shredded, Phi?”

“Yep! Completely torn. Unusable.” He grinned.

“Well, then you are the one who’s going to buy me a new blanket, then” Yuuri seemed a bit lighter.

“Have you texted him back?”

“Yea, I just did.”

“Let me know how it goes.”

“I will. I should head out, I need sleep before class tomorrow.”

Phichit huffed. “Ookay, but be safe. Text me when you get home. It’s dark out.”

“I will, I will!” Yuuri’s eyes still looked damp, but he managed a smile before heading out.

Phichit shook his head. His friends were a mess. Good thing he loved them. Chris texted him what had happened with his and Victor’s conversation a hour later once Victor had apparently gone to sleep. He was just glad that Yuuri and Victor were going to try and work it out. Phichit knew it probably wouldn’t work to get commit super fast for most humans, but Victor was just that kind of guy. And it was in Yuuri’s nature apparently.

Phichit texted Chris.

 

**Phichit text:** I call best man

 

Chris gave him three hours of protest to which Phichit just laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh I'm not super happy with this chapter. Hopefully you guys think differently.

**Author's Note:**

> Also I don't have a beta reader so be sure to point out any spelling errors or inconsistencies and grammar and I'll do my best to fix it.


End file.
